Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 11, 1930. P. P. STOKER RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUSOriginal Filed Dec. 192v INVENTORJ m m m m Ev m N S. x

WWW m Patented Mar. 11', 1930 PATENT OFFICE PAUL P. STOKER, 0FWILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNDR TO THE UNION SWITCH 86 SIGNALCOMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIQ SYLVANIA i g D I E,RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS l Application filed December 8,1927, Serial No. 233,558. Renewed August 2, 1929.

My invention relates to railway traflic conexilOlliIlg apparatus, andparticularly to apparatus of the type intended for safely controlling.railway trafiic governing devices, such as railway signals, from'a'remote point.

I will describe one form of railway traflic controlling apparatusembodying my invention, and will then point out the novel; fea turesthereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form ofrailway traffic controlling apparatus embodyingmy invention.

Referring'to this drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designatethe track rails of a stretch of railway track connected with a siding X,by a switch 3 of the usual and well' known form. The switch 3 may be op'erated in any suitable manner. Since the apparatus for controlling theswitch forms no part of my present invention, it has been oinited fromthe drawing for the sake of simplicity. The rails adjacent the switchare divided, by means of insulated joints 2, to form a track section ABand track circuit current issupplied to the rails adjacent point B froma suitable source of energy such as a battery F. A track relay R' isconnected across'the rails of the section AB adjacent point'A and therelay R is therefore normally energized but is de-energized when a trainoccupies any portion of the section ABl The rails of the'siding X areconnected with the rails of section A-B in the usual mannerso that atrain occupying the siding adjacent the switch'will de-energize thetrack relay R.

Associated with the switch 3' is acircuit controller W comprising. twocontacts 5"5 and 66 which are closed only when the switch occupies thenormal position in" which it is illustrated 'inthedrawing. Contacts 5-5"and 6-6 are closed only when the switch occupiesits reverse position.

"Westbound traffic",- that is, traffic moving signals but thisparticular form is not essential.

The signals are controlled by two relays G and H and by the circuitcontroller so that if relay G is energized when the switch is normal,current flows from terminal D of a suitable source of energy not shownin the drawing over front contact 8 of relay R, wire 9, front contact 10of relay G, wire 11, contact 66 of, circuit controller W, wire 12, andoperating mechanism of signal S to terminal E of the same source. If theswitch 3 is reversed when relay G is energized, current flows over thecircuit just traced to wire 11 and thence over contact 66 of circuitcontroller V, wire 13, and operating mechanism of signal S to terminalE. When relay H is energized, current flows from terminal D, over frontcontact 8 of relay R, wires 9 and 14, front contact 15 of relay H towire 16, and thence, if switch 3 occupies its normal position, overcontact 55 of circuit controller WV, wire 17 and operating mecha-' nismof signal S to terminal E. If switch 8 is reversed, current flows overthe circuit just traced as far as wire 16, and thence over contact 55 ofcircuit controller W, wire 18, and operating mechanism of signal S toterminal E. It follows, therefore that if relay G is energized, signalsS or S is cleared, according as switch 3 occupies its normal or reverseposition, but that when relay H is energized, signal S or signal S iscleared according as the switch occupies its normal or reverse position.

Relays G and H are controlled in part by a series of selectors J J Jand'J which are connected in parallel across apa of line wires 4 and at.The selectors J are selectively responsive to control codes which may beimpressed upon the line wires 4 and 4 by any suitable means. It isfrequently desirable to control the selectors J by means of a codetransmitter indicated diagrammatically at Y and located at some centralcontrol point, such for example, as a train despatchers ofiice. Each ofthe selectors J J 2 and J comprises a normally open contact 7 which isarranged to be closed for a brief interval of time when thecorresponding selector receives its proper control code. The selector J3 comprises a normally closed contact 7 which is arranged to be openedfor a brief interval of time when selector J 3 receives its propercontrol code.

The selector J controls a relay K in such manner that the relay becomesenergized when selector J is operated. The pick-up circuit for relay Kmay be traced from terininal D over contact 7 of selector J wires 19 and20, and winding of relay K to terminal E. After relay K has once beenenergized, the relay is held closed as long as reiay R remainsenergized, by virtue of a stick circuit which passes from terminal D,over front contact 21 of relay R, wires 22, 23 and 24, front contact 25of relay K, wires 26 and 20, and winding of relay K to terminal E. Itfollows therefore, that relay K is normally deenergized but that thisrelay may be closed by operating selector J whereupon the relay Kremains closed until a train enters section A-B to de-energize relay R.

Relay G is provided with a pick-up circuit controlled by selector J andpasses from terminal D, over front contact 21 of relay R, wires 22 and27, contact 7 of selector J wires 28 and 29 and winding of relay G toterminal E. The relay G is also provided with a stick circuit which maybe traced from terminal D over back contact 30 of relay K, wire 31,contact 7 of selector J wire 32, back contact 33 of relay H, wire 34,front contact 40 of relay G, wires 35 and 29, and winding of relay G toterminal E. It will be seen, therefore, that relay G can be closed onlyif selector J is operated when relay R is energized. After relay G hasonce been closed, however, it is subsequently maintained in itsenergized condition as long as relay H remains open and contact 7 ofselector J 3 remains closed, provided relay K is deenergized. If relay Kis energized, however, the stick circuit for relay G passes fromterminal D, over front contact 21 of relay R, wires 22, 23 and 36, frontcontact 30 of relay K, wire 31, contact 7 of selector J wire 32, backcontact 33 of relay H, wire 34, front contact of relay G, wires 35 and29, and winding of relay G to terminal E. WVhen relay K is energized,therefore, the stick circuit for relay G includes afront contact ofrelay R and its stick circuit will be broken if a train enters sectionAB. The control of relay H by selector J 2 is similar to the control ofrelay G by selector J and will be understood from the drawing withouttracing the stick circuits in detail. It should be pointed out, however,that relay H is provided with a. stick circuit which goes direct toterminal D over back contact 30 of relay K when this relay isde-energized but that the stick circuit for relay H passes over frontcontact 21 of relay R when relay K is energized.

In explaining the operation of the appa ratus as a whole, I will firstassume that relay K is de-energized and that the section A-B isunoccupied so that relay R is energized. I will also assume that theswitch 3 occupies its normal position. If, under these conditionsselector J is operated, relay G picks up, and is subsequently heldclosed by its stick circuit over back contact 33 of relay H, contact 7of selector J and back contact 30 of relay K. The energization of relayG closes the circuit for signal S and this signal thereupon indicatesproceed. If a train enters section A-B under these conditions, relay Rbecomes de-energized thereby opening the circuit for signal S at frontcontact 8 of relay R. Relay G remains energized, however, so that whenthe train moves out of section AB, the subsequent energization of relayR will restore the signal to its proceed position. Under theseconditions, therefore, the operation of the signals is in accordancewith what is usually known as semiautomatic control.

In similar manner, if relay K is de-energized and selector J isoperated, relay H picks up and is subsequently stuck up over backcontact 30 of relay K. Vhen relay H closes, the circuit is completed forsignal S and this signal indicates proceed. A train entering the sectionAB will de-energize relay R and put signal S at stop, but the signalwill return to its proceed position when the train leaves the section.It should also be pointed out that if the switch 3 occupies its reverseposition, the energization of relay G completes the operating circuitfor signal S and the energization of relay H completes the operatingcircuit for signal S, the signals operating in either case in accordancewith semi-automatic control.

If either of relays G or H has been picked up to clear one of thesignals S, the signal can be restored to its stop position by operatingselector J The operation of this selector opens contact 7, therebyopening the stick circuit for whichever one of relays G or H happens tobe energized, thereby restoring the signals to stop.

I will next assume that selector J is operated to close the pick-upcircuit for relay K. After relay K closes, it is held in its energizedposition by virtue of its stick circuit including front contact 21 ofrelay R and front contact 25 of relay K. If selector J is now operatedto pick up relay G, this relay will subsequently be held closed over astick circuit which includes front contact 30 of relay K and frontcontact 21 of relay R. Assuming that switch 3 occupies its normalposition, the closing of relay G completes the operating circuit forsignal S and this signal thereupon indicates proceed. The signal may berestored to stop by operating selector J 3 to break the stick circuitfor relay G as has already been described. I will assume, however, thata train enters section A-B while relay G is still ener ized. The openingof front contact 8 of relay R deenergizes signal S and this signaltherefore indicates stop. The opening of front contact 21 of relay Ralso breaks the stick circuits for relays K and G, so that both of theserelays open. When the train leaves the section AB, therefore, signal Sremains at stop, because its circuit is now open at front contact 10 ofrelay G. It will be manifest, therefore, that if relay K is energized,and if one of the signal control relays G or H is subsequently energizedto clear one of the signals S, the signal will be placed at stop by atrain entering the section AB and the signal will remain at stop untilthe corresponding selector J or J 2 is again operated to close thepick-up circuit for the proper relay G or H. It should also be pointedout that the de-energizat-ion of relay R caused by the entrance of atrain into section AB (lo-energizes relay K and restores thesemiautomatic control of the signals. The operation of the signals whenrelay K is energized is in accordance with what is usually known asstick control.

It will be plain from the foregoing that one feature of my invention isthe provision of circuits for accomplishing semi-automatic control ofsignals from a remote point and for changing this control tostickcontrol from the remote point by operation of a single selector.

Another feature of my invention is that after the conditions have beenestablished for stick control. of the signals the control isautomatically restored to semi-automatic after the passage of a trainthrough the section governed by the signals.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railwaytraffic controlling apparatus embodying my invention. it is understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made therein within thescope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scopeof my in vention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for saidsection, a signal governing traffic through said section, two

manually controlled selectors, a first relay controlling said signal, apick-up circuit for said first relay controlled by one selector and bysaid track relay, a second relay controlled by the other selector, astick circuit for said first relay including aback contact of saidsecond relay, and a second stick circuit for said first relay includinga front contact of said second relay and a front contact of said trackrelay.

2. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for saidsection, a signal governing trafiic through said section, two manuallycontrolled selectors, a first relay controlling said signal, a secondrelay controlled by one selector, a pick-up circuit for said first relaycontrolled by the other selector, means operating when the second relayis de-energized to hold the first relay closed independently of saidtrack relay, and means operating when the second relay is energized tohOlCl the first relay closed only if the track relay is energized.

3. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for saidsection, a first relay, a signal for governing traffic through saidsection and controlled by said first relay and by said track relay, twoselectors, a second relay provided with a pickup circuit controlled byone said selector, a stick circuit for said second relay controlled bysaid track relay and including a front contact of the second relay, apick-up circuit for said first relay controlled by the other selector, astick circuit for said first relayincluding a front contact of the firstrelay, and means effective when said second relay is energized toinclude a front contact of the track relay in the stick circuit for saidfirst relay.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for saidsection, a first relay, a signal for governing trafllc through saidsection and controlled by said first relay and by said track relay, afirstand Second selector each comprising a normally open contactarranged to be closed for a brief interval when the selector isoperated, a third selector comprising a normally closed contact arrangedto be opened for a brief interval when such third selector is operated,a pickup circuit for said second relay including the contact of saidfirst selector, a stick circuit for said second relay including a frontcontact of the track relay, a pick-up circuit for said first relayincluding a contact of said second selector and a front contact of thetrack relay. a stick circuit for said first relay including the contactof said third selector and a back contact of the second relay, and abranch around said contact of the second relay includinga front contactof the second relay and a front contact of the track relay.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, a signal governingtralfic through said section, a first relay controlling said signal, a

second relay, means forselectively energizing said relays, a manuallycontrolled normally closed contact, means efi'ective after the firstrelay has been energized and operating if the second relay is open tohold the first relay closed until said contact becomes open. and meanseffective after the first relay has been energized and operating if thesecond relay is closed to hold the first relay closed until said contactbecomes open or until a train enters said section.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL P. STOKER.

